Prank
by LittleMana
Summary: The priests pull a little trick on the Pharaoh.


LittleMana: I do not own Yugioh. Whatever that means.

This story is told through the High Priestess Ashizu's point of view.

Prank

It's been a month and a week since Yami became Pharaoh. Although he is confident that his decisions are righteous, and that he is doing a pretty good job so far, he hasn't been fairing very well. He looks tired all the time; his face has turned unnaturally pale. He walks very, very slowly, and it takes him forever to get ready for the day. He hasn't been talking to us priests (and priestess) very much. He eats alone and goes to bed early. He doesn't look like he has _fun_ anymore. I am very, very worried.

Being fairly observant and a little mischievous, I am not surprised when High Priest Mahado decides to play a little…eh…_prank_…on our poor Pharaoh. It is _what_ the prank was all about that shocks me.

"You _what_!" I hiss incredulously when he first tells me his plan. "You can't do that! That's not even _allowed_!"

Mahado's face splits into a wide grin. "Can't do what? Mess with his mind? Have some fun? Come on! It'll be like we're little kids again!"

I glare at him suspiciously for a moment before I speak again. "You're not _possessed_ are you? Because you're not the Mahado _I_ remember."

He rolls his eyes. "Ra, no. I just want to have a little fun, that's all."

"If that's the case," I spit angrily, "then _NO_ I'm not going along with it!"

He stares at me for a while and shrugs. "If that's how you really feel," he says, "then maybe this will change your mind." He elegantly slides a bag filled with coins to me.

_Oh for the love of Ra…a bribe! _I roll my eyes. "Well, if you're so desperate, I don't see the harm," I mutter and take the bag. He beams.

"Thanks a million, Ashizu." He smoothly stands up and walks away.

I check the bag.

"HEY! YOU MORON! THESE ARE JUST ROCKS _SHAPED_ LIKE COINS! COME BACK HERE YOU IDIOT!"

A couple of days later…

I notice that all the priests are fidgeting uncomfortably. Except for Mahado…he has that evil smirk on his face again. Oh Ra. He didn't…he _did_! He must've bribed all the other priests with his bags of rocks. I didn't think he would be able to actually pull it off, but I suppose I have drastically underestimated him.

I spot a servant glancing back and forth nervously. He must've been bribed too…

Yami is sitting on his throne as usual. He blinks tiredly and yawns. Most people would have assumed that he is bored and indifferent. They would have called him an uncaring Pharaoh. But thanks to the fact that a commoner has to stand fifteen feet away from the Pharaoh while speaking in a throne room, and to a bit of make-up, he looks absolutely fine.

He waves one hand, signaling for the day's work to begin.

A servant comes forward with a roll of papyrus in his hand. He unrolls the scroll and says something about a gift that some foreign country has given us. He proceeds to describe this gift, which is some sort of exotic deer. He re-rolls his scroll and marches out of the throne room.

I feverishly glance at Mahado, biting my lip. He winks.

Oh for the love of…he's really going through with this!

The doors open wider, and the servant comes marching back in. He is gripping the reins to a large black horse…one that I have seen before in the stables. He smoothly leads the horse to the center of the room, and refers back to his parchment.

"This deer was found roaming in the deepest parts of the forest…none of the natives had ever seen anything like it…it's size was colossal, and its eyes deepest azure. No doubt that _this_ was the heavenly deer of the forest that they had been waiting for…"

Yami is frowning. We priests (and priestess) glance at each other. Mahado is looking perfectly calm, so we imitate him.

"…and thanks to Egypt's kind helping hand during unforgiving times, they graciously decided to give up their god and present it to us as an eternal symbol of their thanks." The servant finishes and bows.

We all stare at him.

Then a servant girl whispers something. "That…is…beautiful…"

The other servants start whispering too.

"D'you see its sparkling coat? It's _amazing_…"

"Wish I had one…"

"The Pharaoh gets _cool stuff_…"

"See the eyes? Sky blue, my son."

"Love the antlers."

At the word _antler_, Yami leans forward in his chair, blinking several times. He remains silent.

The murmurs continue.

"And those _hooves_! They look like they are made of sparkling gold."

"It looks so graceful…and powerful…"

"Pure white…never seen anything like it…"

The 'deer' snorts and paws the ground impatiently. The servant is still kneeling there. Perhaps he is waiting for something.

Mahado clears his throat. We all look at him apprehensively.

"A truly wonderful gift indeed…" he murmurs. "Send thanks to the people for handing us their _wondrous_ deer…"

We all agree, and start chatting animatedly about how glorious and splendid it was (we Egyptians know a lot of adjectives) when Yami mutters "…deer?"

His Millenium Puzzle glows.

We all stare at him in shock.

The Item stops glowing. He narrows his eyes. "…deer?" he repeats quietly.

"Pharaoh…what are you doing?" I ask, lowering my eyebrows in worry.

He smoothly stands up and strides towards the 'deer', muttering to himself. The servant backs away.

He walks around the 'deer', slowly. The Millenium Puzzle glows and fades periodically.

He finally stops walking.

We watch him anxiously.

His lips part. "That is one _heck_ of an illusion…" he says.

"Illusion?" we priests (and priestess) repeat. We catch on and activate our Millenium Items. The room glows.

The room fades. The 'deer' is still there. And Yami is still confused.

"What—is—going—on?" he growls.

"Care to tell _us_?" bites Shada angrily.

Yami quickly turns to face him. "This deer…is not a deer…it's a _horse_!"

"Is not," I protest. "We used our magic. It's real."

"No…" Yami closes his eyes. "You all say that this _creature_ is a deer. But clearly it's not. I see a horse." He opens his eyes and faces the animal. "It is black, with gray hooves. And it doesn't have any antlers." He folds his arms. "There is…powerful magic at stake here."

"But…how do you know?" It is Mahado speaking. "How do you know that there's magic at work here at all? Those villagers obviously didn't have any. Maybe…" he speaks with a spark in his eyes, "Maybe it's just…_you_."

Silence.

"Nonsense." Yami waves him off. "My family has no history of ever having hallucinations. Maybe an outsider changed this beast. Maybe…"

"Maybe you just need to rest." Mahado walks forward and touches his friend on the shoulder. "Let's see what it looks like tomorrow."

Yami fumes. The expression on his face is priceless.

"_Fine_," he says stiffly. "Though I assure you…I am _not_ crazy!" His eyes betray his words.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Luckily, I don't have to make that choice, because with every step Yami takes towards the exit, Mahado's face gets puffier and redder, until he finally he falls over laughing.

He holds his jumping stomach as he lies there on the ground, laughing his guts out. There are tears in his eyes. We priests try and keep a straight face, but eventually we let go, and suddenly, the whole room is bawling. Poor Yami doesn't know what to do with it…until he figures it out.

"Why…! YOU!" His face is red. "Why in the _world_ did you…?"

None of us can respond. We can hardly breathe.

He throws his hands up in disgust. "UGH!" he stomps away, but I can tell he is relieved.

The door slams behind him, and eventually we calm down enough to look each other in the eye without giggling. The servants clean up and take the horse back to its stable, and the other priests scatter across the palace. Except for Mahado who whispers to me:

"I bet you can't wait to see what I've planned _next_ week!" He winks.

I throw my hands up in the air. _Oh, for the love of Ra…_

LittleMana: I'm sorry if it was a bit slow at some parts, but I needed the practice anyway. Be nice and leave a review (no flames please)!


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